Temperature equalizing system for enclosed spaces



Nov. 15, 1949 L. H. GILLICK ET AL TEMPERATURE EQUALIZING SYSTEM FOR ENCLOSED SPACES Filed Aug. 23, 1947 2 Shets-Shet 1 INVENTORS M/61256 GZZZCZI /,2/2202@ Q/ le/za2ze Nov. 15, 1949 H. GILLICK ET AL 2,488,185

TEMPERATURE EQUALIZING S YSTEM FOR ENCLOSED SPACES Filed Aug. 25, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS {QM/612C}? A J e azze Patented Nov. 15,1949

TEMPERATURE E UALIZiiiiiG-SYS'TEM ton ENCLOSED SPACES Lawrence H. Gillick', Evansiton; and 'Ififiotliyl- Lehane, Chicago, 111., assignors, by'fmesneas-r- 'signmentsjto VaporHeatingflorporation, acor- -p0ration of Delaware Applicati dii August 23, 194i, siri'ai No. '77032s1 4 Claims. (ol zss i This invention relates to temperature control systems and has for its principal object the proofan' improved system for automatically vai ymg' the delivery of temperature altering media to spaced locationswithin an enclosed space sci-as to substantially equalize the temperatures at said 'spaced'locations.

Another and more specific object is to provide a simplified mechanism which will function to pro ortio'nately distribute a temperature altermedia throughout an enclosed space so as fid-iCOnipenSa-t for the uriequal effects of sunshine, Wind and'otl-ier influences on the temperathree at spaced locations within the enclosure whose 1 temperature being controlled.

The principles of the present invention are i-ll usttatd herein in conr'iection with a temperature control systemfora railway car. The principal features, however, may be embodied in structures suitable for use in other situations where similar conditions prevail. It should be understood,' therefore, that the particular constructions and; man rierpf use herein shown are intndedinerely 'illustraltivean'd'riot as a limit'a'tion.

The invention, as herein illustrated, automate Cally controls the distribution of tempered air', as conditions may require; to different locationsa railway car; for example opposite sides of the car, so as to compensate for the disproportionate amount of solar heat which may be received at opposite sides of the car afid to also compensate for the disproportionate rateof' heat loss at opposite sides of'the car, due to wma and other weather conditions which exert their infiuence on one side of the car to a greater extent than on the other;

Inasmuch as the solar and weather influences are shifed. from time to time and thereby alter their 'efiects on different sidesoffthe" railway car oriother' form of enclosed'space, arrangements are made whereby the control elements automatically respond to the temperature changes at opposite sides of the improved system of-the' space whose temperature is being controlled;

The invention is illustrated in accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a railway car showing the combined heating and cooling apparatus iiistalled'in the upper portion thereof.

Fig. 2 is a-s'e'ction'al view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially (in line 3-3 of Fi'g. 1 looking in' the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4- is a Wiring diagram inust'ratiiig' the improve'd'contrbl mechanism of the present invention.

. The invention may be descrihd' briefly as ini ldraws air from the interior of the'car throlx'gh" a grill" l5 and'forcesli't through the heating and cooling elements I91 and H andinto the distribut irig p'ortions o'f th'e'air "duct: The distributin'g pora tions of the air duct prererably'i'ncludes branches i'iiand H which extend Iengthwiseof the car at oppositesidesthereof. Both branclies merge to gethe' at-the point where'they communicate with the taini'duct i2 and. are provided with outlets at suitable locations lengthwiseof the car. The air inl'ets l8, i9to' both ducts: [Band H are con= trolied 'by p'rop'ortioningvaltexz'fl. When the valve 29 is in a centralized position as shown'iri Fig; 2 of the drawing, both 'du'cts wand-"l1 'r'edeive equal' amounts of air from the blower- I4; When the valve 2 ll-is moved about its pivotal axis toward the distributing 'du'ct l 6,- the amount of air delivered vinto the duct 1'6 is reducedand the amount of air delivered into the duct I"! o'reased; The valve 20 is operated by means of a reversible electric motor zthavin'g a speed reducing connection 12. The direction of movement ofitheoperatingm'otor 'ZI- 'is controlled by thermostats123 and 24 located 'at' opposite sides of the" car.

The valve 2U, as previously indicated, ad just'erlibym'afis ofthelrver'sibl'e'motor Z-I topr'o portion' the delivery of heated air intothe 'distrib utirrgducts l6 i1; Theop'eration of the motor one directionsi's controlled" by the thermostat Hand an associated rela'y 25. The reverse operationof the 'nriotoriscontrolled by the thermostat 24 and 'aflassoci'ated relay 26'. The electrical connections are indicated in the positions whichthey 'azssuhieduring the heating cycle of the system when the mercury columns of both thermo statsB'E-S and Z' l 'stand below their upper contacts 2 1- 'an'd zfi',respectively. Under t iscondition, let it be assumd'that the side 0f the car" in which thermostat 23 is locate is" receiving more solar heat'than the side in which the t ermostat 24' is loca ea": consequently the thermostat 23 will senile-11y function before thermostat 24, Iri the present ill'llstfaitiofi, with both ifh'erfnostats fielowl tnrf'temp efature settings; both relays 25' and 2 6 are rir'gii'ed both motor circuits are ope so that the valteZl) remains in a stationary' pos'i It will and serrated that the closedcontact' 23' of relay" 25" establishes A a heating circljiit through when; c cle resistor 3l' to an auxiliary hatr 32; for 'addifig approximately 4 0f heat to thermostat 23*. This circuit leads fromthe os itivlin'e a e; through wiif at, nd closed dong tact 2B} 3'0, resistor 3!, auxiliary heater 32 and wire 35 to the negative line 36. An equal amount of auxiliary heat is also applied to the thermostat 24. This heating circuit leads from positive line 33, through wire 31, closed contact 38 of relay 25, wires 39 and 40, through cycle resistor 41 and auxiliary heater 42, and thence through wire 43 to the negative line 36. Inasmuch as the thermostat 23 is assumed to be on the warmer side of the car l3, it will close its contact 21 before thermostat 24 closes its contact 28. The closing of said contact 21 of thermostat 23 de-energizes relay 25. The de-energization of relay 25 opens its contact 29 so as to remove the auxiliary heat from auxiliary heater 32 and closes contact 44 of said relay 25 so as to establish a motor energizing circuit in a direction to move the valve 29 in a direction to decrease the supply of heated air to duct 11 and simultaneously increase the volume of heated air to the duct [6. This motor energizing circuit leads from positive line 33, through wire 45, closed contact 46 of relay 26, wire 41, closed contact 44 of relay 25, wire 48, motor field 49, and thence through the motor armature and wire '50 to the negative line 36. This energizing circuit through the motor will be only momentary since the opening of the relay contact 29 removes the heat from auxiliary heater 32 so as to permit the thermostat 23 to cool sufiiciently to cause its mercury column to recede from the upper contact 21. The opening of the contact 21 of thermostat 23 therefore results in re-energizing the solenoid 5| to actuate the relay 25 and thereby re-establishes the auxiliary heating circuit through heater 32. The said solenoid 5! is energized by a circuit composed of positive line 33, wire 52 through resistor 53 and wire 54, through solenoid 5! and wire 55 and resistor 56 and wire '51 to the negative line 36. The circuit is made efiective and ineffective by the thermostat 23 which is connected in a shunt around the solenoid. If the thermostat 23 functions again before the thermostat 24, the previous operations will be repeated so as to de-energize the relay 25 and thereby re-establish said momentary circuit through the motor 2! to adjust valve 29 in the direction to further reduce the supply of heated air to duct 11 and increase the delivery of air into duct l6. This operation will continue until the temperatures at both sides of the car are substantially equalized. Assuming now that the temperature of the car at the side in which thermostat 24 is located rises sufiiciently to cause said thermostat 24 to function, the functioning of this thermostat de-energizes the solenoid 58 for relay 26 so as to permit its contact 46 to open and also causes its contact 59 to close and thereby establish a reverse circuit through the motor 2!. This reverse circuit leads from positive line 33, through wire 34, closed contact 29 of relay 26, wire 60, closed contact 59 of relay 26, wire 6|, field 62 of the motor 2|, and thence through the motor armature and wire 50 to the negative line 36. The energization of relay 26, while the relay 25 is energized, does not disturb the heating circuit to the auxiliary heater 42. Consequently the mercury column of thermostat 24 will remain above its upper contact until the thermostat 23 is caused to function. However, the functioning of the thermostat 23 is brought about by the effect of its auxiliary heater 32 very promptly and thereby de-energizes the relay 25 to open the auxiliary heater circuit through heater 32 and also opens the contact 46 of relay 26 so as to break the circuit to auxiliary heater 42 to thermostat 24. The valve 20 will remain in its stationary position while the contacts of both thermostats 23 and 24 are closed. However, if the temperature at either side of the car falls below the temperature of the other side such decline in temperature will result in opening the contacts of the thermostat 23 or 24 at that side of the car and thereby closes an energizing circuit through the motor in a direction to supply additional heated air to the distributing duct at that side of the car. This character of operation brings the temperatures at both sides of the car into balance.

When the thermostat 23 functions to de-energize relay 25 there is a, possibility that thermostat 24 will be caused to function before the thermostat 23 cools sufficiently to open its contact 21. Under such conditions the circuit through field 49 of the motor will be broken by the opening of contact 46 of relay 26 and the valve 20 will remain stationary until one or the other of the thermostats 23 or 24 breaks contact. If thermostat 23 is first to open its contact 21 the contact 29 of relay 25 will be closed to complete a circuit through the previously closed contact 59 of relay 26 to energize field 62 of motor 2|. If the thermostat 24, under the same conditions, should open its contact 28 before the thermostat 23 opens its said contact 21, relay 26 is energized and a circuit is completed through contact 46 of relay 26 and previously closed contact 44 of relay 25 to energize the motor field 49 and thereby impart movement to motor 2| in a direction to adjust valve 20 in the reverse direction.

It will also be observed that such opposed condition of the relays are present only momentarily, since heat is applied to both thermostats through the energized relay 25 when both thermostats are open at their contacts and that heat is removed from both thermostats when they are both closed. It will be also observed that thermostat 23 is cycled by the opening and closing of relay contact 29 and that thermostat 24 is cycled by opening and closing of relay contact 46. This operation is made possible by the connecting wire 63 which leads from the junction 64 in wire 40 to wire 41.

We claim:

1. A temperature control system comprising, in combination, a temperature altering apparatus for delivering a temperature altering media from a common source to spaced locations within an enclosure, electrically actuated mechanism for proportionately distributing the total of said media to the spaced locations including a valve and a reversible motor for operating the valve in opposite directions, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in one direction, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in the reverse direction, a pair of relays, one of which is provided with an energized closed contact in the first mentioned energizing circuit and a deenergized closed contact in the second mentioned energizing circuit and the other relay is provided with a de-energized closed contact in the first mentioned circuit and an energized closed contact in the second mentioned circuit, whereby either energizing circuit is closed only when one relay is energized and the other relay is de-energized, means defining an energizing circuit for each relay and means for controlling the energization of said relays including thermostats responsive to the temperatures of said spaced locations and set to function at predetermined temperatures, whereby the distribution of said temperature altering media can be altered only when the thermostat for one spaced location is satisfied and a thermostat for another location remains unsatisfied.

2. A temperature control system comprising, in combination, a temperature altering apparatus for delivering a temperature altering media from a common source to spaced locations within an enclosure, electrically actuated mechanism for proportionately distributing the total of said media to the spaced locations including a valve and a reversible motor for operating the valve in opposite directions, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in one direction, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in the reverse direction, a pair of relays, one of which is provided with an energized closed contact in the first mentioned energizing circuit and a de-energized closed contact in the second mentioned energizing circuit and the other relay is provided with a de-energized closed contact in the first mentioned circuit and an energized closed contact in the second mentioned circuit, whereby either energizing circuit is closed only when one relay is energized and the other relay is de-energized, means defining an energizing circuit for each relay and means for controlling the energization of said relays including thermostats responsive to the temperatures of said spaced locations and set to function at predetermined temperatures, whereby the distribution of said temperature altering media can be altered only when the thermostat for one spaced location is satisfied and a thermostat for another location remains unsatisfied, auxiliary electric heaters for said thermostats, and energizing circuits for the auxiliary heaters connected through the relays associated with the responsive thermostats, whereby the heaters are energized when the thermostats are in corresponding open position and are de-energized when the said thermostats are in corresponding closed positions.

3. A temperature control system for controlling the temperatures at opposite sides of an enclosure, comprising a temperature altering apparatus including a main conduit leading from a supply source of temperature altering media, branch conduits communicating with one end of said main conduit and extending along the opposite sides of the enclosure and adapted to deliver said media into the enclosure serviced by said branch conduits, electrically actuated mechanism including a valve interposed between the inlet ends of said'branch conduits and a reversible motor for operating the valve in opposite directions to increase and decrease the delivery of said media to said branches, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in one direction, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in the reverse direction, a pair of relays, one for each side of said enclosure, one relay being provided with an energized closed contact in the first mentioned energizing circuit and a de-energized closed contact in the second mentioned energizing circuit and the other relay being provided with a de-energized closed contact in the first mentioned circuit and an energized closed contact in the second mentioned circuit, whereby either energizing circuit is closed only when one relay is energized and the other relay is de-energized, means defining an energizing circuit for each relay, and means for controlling the energization of said relays including thermostats responsive to the temperatures of said space locations and set to function at predetermined temperatures, whereby the distribution of said temperature altering media to opposite sides of said enclosure is altered only when the thermostat for one side of said enclosure is satisfied and the thermostat for the other side of said enclosure remains unsatisfied.

4. A temperature control system for controlling the temperatures at opposite sides of an enclosure, comprising a temperature altering apparatus including a main conduit leading from a supply source of temperature altering media, branch conduits communicating with one end of said main conduit and extending along the opposite sides of the enclosure and adapted to deliversaid media into the enclosure serviced by said branch conduits, electrically actuated mechanism including a valve interposed between the inlet ends of said branch conduits and a reversible motor for operating the valve in opposite directions to increase and decrease the delivery of said media to said branches, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in one direction, means defining an energizing circuit for operating the motor in the reverse direction, a pair of relays, one for each side of said enclosure, one relay being provided with an energized closed contact in the first mentioned energizing circuit and a de-energized closed contact in the second mentioned energizing circuit and the other relay being provided with a de-energized closed contact in the first mentioned circuit and an energized closed contact in the second mentioned circuit, whereby either energizing circuit is closed only when one relay is energized and the other relay is de-energized, means defining an energizing circuit for each relay, means for controlling the energization of said relays including thermostats responsive to the temperatures of said space locations and set to function at predetermined temperatures, whereby the distribution of said temperature altering media to opposite sides of said enclosure is altered only when the thermostat for one side of said enclosure is satisfied and the thermostat for the other side of said enclosure remains unsatisfied, auxiliary electric heaters for said thermostats, and energizing circuits for said heaters connected through the relays associated with the responsive thermostats, whereby the heaters are energized when the thermostats are in corresponding open position and are de-energized when the said thermostats are in corresponding closed positions.

LAWRENCE H. GILLICK. TIMOTHY J. LEHANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,109,649 Rather Mar. 1, 1938 2,109,650 Rather Mar. 1, 1938 2,188,775 Locke Jan. 30, 1940 2,284,764 Parks June 2, 1942 

